don't be afraid, i'll keep you safe
by not.so.tragically
Summary: \\"..it makes me feel dirty, and not in the good way. hard limit."


—

 _god knows mistakes will be made_

 _but i promise you i'll keep you safe_

* * *

"Sulfur!" Maya cried out, dropping her head forward.

Her body screamed out in pain, rejecting all feelings of pleasure she might have been previously feeling. Lucas immediately stops behind her, watching as she lets out a sharp sob and drops to her stomach. He easily finds his pants and steps into them. Walking to the front of the bed, he listens as Maya continues crying, but he knows better than to touch her right now. He quickly goes to the run the bath, pouring in the weird soaps Maya likes. Making sure the water's the right temperature, he waits for her sobs to taper off, before picking her up and sitting her in the tub.

She hisses as her sore bottom makes contact with the warm water, and chokes back more tears. Holding the edge of tub, she lowers herself on the pillow Lucas placed at the bottom. She's white knuckling it now. He starts washing her now. He goes gently, over her shoulders, her hands and arms, but he dares not travel below her waist. He leaves the cloth for her to take care of that area by herself.

Jogging into the kitchen, he pulls out the garlic bread she likes and finds season five of _That 70's Show_ on Netflix. He throws her towel and some clothes into the dryer, making sure they'll be warm before she gets out. Lucas knows she won't be out for a while.

So, he sits patiently in front the dryer, waiting for her to get out. As he listens to the water slosh, he pulls out the towel and sets her clothes on the bed. Finding her frozen on her feet in the middle of the emptied tub, Lucas wraps her in the large towel that's only used for times like these. He carries her from the tub into their bedroom and lays her down on her stomach to go get the salve. He gently rubs the redness on her rear and upper thighs, then gets her dressed again. Letting her slide underneath the sheets, he hands her the garlic bread and they watch Netflix in silence.

She doesn't speak and neither does he. Lucas knows she's still in her 'space' and he knows what she prefers right now. Neither of them attempt to make eye contact, and he doesn't touch her until she lets him.

When she finishes her bread, she turns off the lamp beside her and keeps the TV on. Lucas doesn't move to turn it off.

Maya flips on her side, turning away from him, and he listens to her breathing even out as she falls asleep.

The conversation is always held till the morning.

Everything looks better when there's daylight shining through, with the light sitting on her face, there's no where to hide.

When the sun finally slips in through their heavy curtains, Maya's already awake and looking at Lucas. She's not frowning, but she's not smiling either.

"Are you ready?" Lucas whispers, keeping his voice light and his tone even.

Maya nods, tucking a blonde lock behind her ear. Lucas sits up and faces her, making sure to keep his hands to himself, he watches her adjust to face him straightforward.

She opens her mouth and closes it several times, before speaking.

"The 24th stroke. That's when it stopped feeling good. I thought I could hold out till 30, but my-my throat started closing up and I couldn't even think. Then you slowed down, and it felt better, but then when you started again it didn't." Maya nervously plays with a tangle in the end of her hair, bringing her eyes up to meet his. "It was just too much last night."

He nods slowly. "I hear what you're saying. Was it just last night in particular or do think going over 20 was too much for us?"

"Going over 20, and strokes at the tops of my thighs...you don't have to stop, just not too often. It doesn't feel so good after a while." Maya whispers, tugging her fingers through the tangle, straightening the piece. "And," She clears her throat. "My face."

Lucas looks at her with a quirked eyebrow. "Your face? I've never—"

"No, but you _finish_ on my face, and I've come to realize that I don't like that too much. It makes me feel dirty, and not in the good way. Hard limit." The last two words echo in the empty space and Lucas commits what she just said to memory. "What about you?"

She's asking because she's knows that right now isn't just about her. It's about both of them. She needs to know if she's doing something that he hasn't talked to her about yet. This, what's going on right now, is an open exchange. It's free of spite and doubt. Everything is taken to heart, memorized, and applied for next time.

"Last night, your teeth. I know it's something that we've been trying, and I'd like to continue trying it, but just slow down a bit when you do it." Lucas confesses, holding her light gaze.

Maya listens intently. "Okay."

They're both silent for a few minutes and they recognize it as the end of the conversation.

"We're good?"

"Yeah."

She exhales slowly, and then lunges into him, knocking him back against the mattress. "I love you, you know? Thank you for listening." Maya kisses his cheek and then his forehead. "I feel safe doing this with you, Huckleberry."

Lucas picks his head up to kiss her nose. Her wide grin is back and he's happy to see it back in it's rightful place. "Of course, Shortstack. That's the point, there's nobody I trust more than you. And, I love you more."

—

* * *

 **Breaking my mini hiatus for Lucaya!**

 **I thought this was super important because a lot of people write BDSM stories, but they never usually establish the importance of a safe word, or what happens when it is actually used.**

 **And, yes, there are many times in the middle of a scene, when the safe word is utilized, and it's a very important part of a healthy, safe, Dom/Sub relationship.**

 **XOXO, minnie**


End file.
